Correlation functions in an exactly solvable tefface-ledge-kink model Original Research Article

We solve exactly a terrace-ledge-kink (TLK) model describing a vicinal section of a crystal surface at a microscopic level, with either repulsive or attractive interactions between the ledges. As expected there is a faceting, or reconstructive, phase transition, driven either by temperature or by the chemical potential, that controls the mean slope of the surface. In the rough phase we carry out a thorough investigation of microscopic thermal fluctuations of the interface. This is done by combining Bethe ansatz and Conformal Field Theory methods in order to calculate appropriately defined correlators.